Eurovision 2023: Ukraine to select entry in live broadcast from Kyiv bomb shelter

Virgin Radio

25 Oct 2022, 10:24

Ukraine will be selecting their entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 during a live broadcast hosted from a bomb shelter in Kyiv.

Every year the country holds a national selection competition called Vidbir, and this year the grand final will be taking place on 17th December from an undisclosed location in the capital city.

The Ukrainian national broadcaster UA:PBC has received nearly 400 songs from 299 participants hoping to lead their country to victory at Eurovision, following in the footsteps of Kalush Orchestra in 2022.

Overseeing the selection process is Ukrainian music producer Piano boy and speaking about the task, he said: “I would like this Vidbir to discover new outstanding creative names and make people feel touched and good about this music.

“I must say, which is quite unexpected for me, this job is based on psychology because you have to raise musicians from sort of a bottom, motivate them. A lot of musicians that you will hear at Vidbir made a song to be heard at Vidbir probably because of this Vidbir and, again because of it, resumed doing music.”

He added: “I see my function in this and I am very happy about it.”

At last year’s Eurovision, Ukraine came out on top with Kalush Orchestra and traditionally, the winning country hosts the competition the following year.

However, the UK will be hosting Eurovision 2023 on behalf of the country after the European Broadcasting Union ruled  it could not safely organise the evet in Ukraine amid the Russian invasion.

The UK was chosen after coming second in the competition with Sam Ryder and it was recently announced that Liverpool had been chosen as the host city for the event.

Liverpool now has until 13th May 2023 to prepare for the final, which will be held at the M&S Bank Arena.